Q&A for How to Write Shorthand

It took me one semester to learn Gregg shorthand. Of course, the amount of time will vary according to the amount of time you practice and how quickly you pick things up.

It depends on who you are. Mine was Gregg shorthand, but my friend's was Pittman shorthand. It differs between people.

There was a competition to determine this, and it's been shown Gregg has a slight advantage.

Study as much as you can!

Start by using brief forms and knowing common words: have, is, the, and, or short phrases like do not, could you, should you and then go on from there. However, be aware that complicated phrases and words can become a problem if you aren’t immediately translating them.

These are methods that use completely different strokes and lines. Pitman shorthand uses mostly straight lines, dots, and different amounts of pressure. Gregg shorthand uses more curved and detailed lines.

They have shorthand tutorials online and you can find books on the subject at most libraries. If you wish to buy the book, you can look at stores/sites like Barnes and Noble, Amazon, etc.

You can write shorthand as fast as your hands allow you to. If you think your hand muscles could legibly move faster, practice until they do. But you can never write faster than your hands can move. Good shorthand writers can write down what people say at the speed that they say it.

Of the three, Teeline is the easiest, so perhaps refocus on that option. Also, try stepping away from shorthand for a few days, weeks, or even months. Everyone learns differently, and for some it takes time for learning to seep through the brain filters.

The outline v in shorthand means the personal pronoun I in long hand.

The order probably is: Teeline, followed by either Gregg or Pitman. Teeline looks the easiest as you're only removing some of the letters in the words and can decipher it later with a little bit of logic, whereas with Gregg and Pitman you have to learn the different symbols and practice drawing them. Ultimately it depends on the person, so try them all and see which one works best for you.

There are many types of shorthand. Some of the others are Eclectic shorthand, Speedwriting and Gabelsberger shorthand.

Yes! There is a book called "Pitman Shorterhand" by Reid Thompson, which was published in 1971, and another book "Practical dictation and transcription" by Dorothy F. Haydon, published 1975.